foibles, fables and follies

Tag Archives: holiday

To read my blog you would think I’ve spent the whole month cooking and drinking coffee! Which is partially true. Cooking takes a ridiculous amount of time, and just when I’ve finished cleaning up from lunch, it’s time to start on dinner. Now I remember why we went out all the time in Cincinnati, and why I like leftovers so much.

But there have been other things. We’re still unpacking. We did such a terrible and quick job of it when we moved into our house, we decided that we’d do it right this time. Which is kind of funny, considering we are most likely moving again in a few months. I’ve been going through boxes that we’ve carried around for years, Nate since leaving for college, me since, well, forever. It’s taking a long time.

Flowers blooming on the bush in front of our apartment.

For a while we were going on weekly adventures. Sunday afternoons were dedicated to exploring our new city. Then we tried to go to the zoo for about three weeks in a row. When it never happened, I think we gave up on our Sunday adventures. Now we lounge around the house. I often think that’s more fun than adventuring.

We had a nice thanksgiving, despite being so far from our families. I’ve always thought of Thanksgiving as my families “best” holiday. We have a strict schedule that we adhere to, starting with the Turkey Trot in the morning (I do not partake in that part) to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, to the dog show, to the movie, to the evening spent in front of the fire place. The food is always the same, and if ONE THING is forgotten, someone will notice. I don’t think I have ever missed Thanksgiving with my family. I think it’s the only holiday that was left that I hadn’t missed. And then we couldn’t get the parade on the TV (we don’t get NBC at our apartment, WHAT?) and then I had a meltdown, and then I was fine. We went to Cracker Barrel with some friends for dinner, then back to their house for pie and board games. I professed my hatred of board games, and then played them happily. It was fun.

I found some turning leaves while walking to church. Unfortunately I haven’t found any more.

I’m still unemployed. It’s a weird space, being unemployed on purpose. I’m not a housewife, this is not what I want to be doing, but I did choose to leave my job knowing that there wasn’t one waiting for me here. So I stick with “not working.” I send out the occasional resume, have the occasional interview, don’t get the occasional job. I’m glad for the people who have said “Contact So-and-So, you can use my name.” It makes it so much easier. But what I hear most often is how firms are closing or struggling or still laying people off.

I’m excited for the holidays. I love this time of year – there’s something magic that happens from Thanksgiving until New Year’s. We’ve been listening to Christmas music in the car, even though it still hits 80. There are no spruce trees here, no bare branches, no dark skies. It certainly doesn’t feel like the holidays. We’re not getting a Christmas tree this year, we didn’t get one last year, and I asked Nate the other day if he thought we would get one while we lived here. He said no, and I’m inclined to believe him. Somehow it feels like a lie, to truck in a tree from somewhere else, decorate it with “snow” and pretend nothing ever changes. We’ll come up with our own new traditions, it will just take some time.

Found a car show with a fire truck while on our run

We sold our house. Which is wonderful and kind of amazing, but I was sad to see it go. I’m glad we won’t be taking care of it over the winter. We owned it for almost exactly 11 months. Now we start the process all over again. This time will be much different; no super-easy only-went-to-see-one-house hunt for us this time! We’ve already been to 10 or so (I’ve lost count) and by the time we start looking again, it will probably be a whole new crop of houses. We have a pretty good idea of what we want, but I’m not so sure that house exists.

Pretty flowers – the purple leaves are dying the water purple

Well this has turned into approximately a novel. See, there are things going on! Just not super-exciting photo-worthy things. But I have some stored up – maybe next week.

Nate had Wednesday off last week – a mid-week holiday we certainly didn’t complain about. It was the first real “monsoon” day that we have experienced (yes, that’s a whole season here) so it rained on and off most of the day. We lounged around, went to the gym, and swam in the pool between showers. I botched dinner by not reading the directions beforehand (#1: Brine chicken overnight – fail). ALWAYS READ THE DIRECTIONS. We had ravioli. So very patriotic. We wore our red, white, and blue.

Then, about the time we thought we should go to bed, we got into the car and went downtown to watch the fireworks. It was a good end to a holiday, and a fun way to be out around people!

Hooray! Pants!

While the rest of the country was baking, it was only 75 here in Tucson. The best part about this picture? Not my new white sandals, although I’m pretty happy about them (side note: I only had to step on one cactus spike before I decided that the foam flip-flops from Old Navy were not going to cut it. Solid soles for me.). Also not the super awesome fake tile in our kitchen. No, the best part is that after almost NEVER wearing shorts, especially outside the house, I have been in shorts since the day I got here. I LOVE my jeans, and this is the first opportunity I’ve had to wear them! I was super excited. And it turned out to be a good thing, too. Because in Tucson, there is very little grass. So instead of a nice grassy hill to sit on to watch the fireworks, we sat on gravel.

Not Grass

Mmmmmm comfy. Even with jeans on I had gravel imprinted in my backside by the time the fireworks were over.

Smile!

It was a fun adventure and I’m glad we ventured out of our apartment to partake in a community event!

Remember that run I didn’t intend to run? Yeah. Turns out my ability to not fulfill my expectations extends to doing things I didn’t think I was going to, in a positive way.

A few days before New Year’s, my Mom emailed me “Is there anyone from your house running on NYE?”

There are only two people in my house, and I’m pretty well known for not running, but my mother, ever the optimist, asked anyway.

And I surprised her by saying we’d both run.

We both ran!

So, while many people were dressing up to go to a New Year’s Eve party, I joined my family in dressing for a 5K.

A Family Affair

It was the biggest race I’ve run since high school, and it was my first chipped race (which I was SUPER excited about). The weather was pleasant (OK, cold, but it was January, so not-frigid equals pleasant) and there were people lining the race path cheering and blowing party horns and wishing us a Happy New Year.

My first chipped race!

I wouldn’t say it was my fastest race ever, but I hit my goal at a solid 10-min mile (including that .1 mile at the end) and finished the race without walking.

The Purple Watch, Race #2

My Dad and sisters finished the race approximately as I was crossing the 2-mile mark, and they circled back to cheer at the end.

The Boys

And my Mom, ever the enthusiastic cheer-er, yelled and shouted and whooped and cheered as I came down the last stretch. Just like she always does.

Happy Mom

After the race, my sisters came over to Nate and my house to ring in the New Year. It was 11:45 before everyone was showered and changed, made-up with hair and nails done, to have our own little party.

Pre-race surprises! My Dad and sisters got a surprise before the race: plaques from previous races that they earned but never picked up!

I hope you had a wonderful and thankful Thanksgiving! I certainly did. I continued many Thanksgiving traditions, including not running the Turkey Trot, sleeping in, watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, then the National Dog Show, and not buying a darn thing all weekend. Especially on Friday. No shopping allowed on Friday.

But now it is Christmas music time! I have strict rules to wait until after Thanksgiving to break out the Christmas music, but I can assure you it is playing now! Here’s one of my favorites! I’m pretty sure you’ve seen this a million times, but if not, it is a gem!

I have a soft spot in my heart for male a capella groups, especially ones with a sense of humor and some fun choreography (although you’ll have to check out some other videos to witness that)! So with that, I give you, Straight No Chaser!